Actions taken by consumers to adopt a sustainable lifestyle Australia 2023

As a part of their efforts to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, just over 50 percent of Australian consumers indicated in a 2023 survey regarding attitudes towards sustainability that they recycled their household waste. Minimizing food waste, reducing single-use plastic usage, and lowering water consumption were also some leading actions taken by consumers to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

Sustainable consumption: Is there an action versus intention gap?

Sustainability has become a key determining factor in the buying behaviors of Australians, with over a third of the country’s shoppers indicating in a 2022 survey that they always consider sustainability in their purchase decisions. Moreover, almost every nine in 10 Australian consumers consider leading a sustainable lifestyle as important to some extent. Nonetheless, while the importance of sustainability to Australia’s shoppers is evident, many expressed that there are several obstacles to adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Some consumers view eco-friendly living as inconvenient, complicated, or time-consuming, and feel there is a lack of information available regarding the sustainability of products and services and that these products are often pricier.

Green claims: can they be trusted?

The credibility of green claims made by businesses across Australia has come into focus recently, with over 55 percent of the 247 businesses reviewed in an internet sweep conducted by the ACCC flagged as making concerning environmental claims. Of the various, often vague or unclear terms used to label a product or service as sustainable, the most trusted ‘green’ term among Australian consumers, according to a 2023 survey, was ‘Recyclable’, with ‘Green’ the least trusted sustainability claim.